Keep your home safe this winter break

The end of term is fast approaching and many students are getting ready to head somewhere else for the holidays - be that at home, visiting a friends or just somewhere that isn't Portsmouth. 

But out of sight shouldn't be out of mind. Make sure you keep your student accommodation safe and sound as you leave this lovely island city. 

Not that kind of lockdown...

Lock your bedroom windows, your bedroom door (if you can), and double check the communal spaces (more windows!). Speak to your housemates about who will be the last one to leave and get them to double check any windows, the backdoor and the bathroom window (it's an easy one to forget!) before they go - and triple check the front door lock too!

Keep it safe!

If you’re leaving any valuables behind, make sure you put them out of sight. If the worst happens and someone does break in, don’t have all the best bits on display for them to choose from. Maybe think about taking home anything you’d be especially devastated about losing. You won't be back for a while, so think ahead for what you'll need!

Feeling ch-ch-chilly!

it is cold this year in Portsmouth! And with the cost of living crisis many are feeling the pinch! If your heating comes on automatically, double check who will be in the house and when. If not, consider turning it off until you return. 

Driving home for Christmas

Don’t post too much on social media when you’re heading home, especially if your profiles aren't private. If your posts are geo-tagged then they’ll know where your house is, and that no one is home!

Time for a sort out!

Now would be a great time to clean out your fridge and cupboards. Remember that bag of potatoes you bought during freshers week, ate one and realised freezer chips were much easier? They’re now at the back of your cupboard starting a family all of their own. You also don’t want to be coming home to yoghurt in your fridge that’s a good month out of date. Trust me, it’s not worth it. And if you have anything in your cupboards that you realised you probably won’t eat, why not donate it to a food bank?

Christmas Lights

No, not the brightly coloured flashing ones. Why not get timed switches? This way, when it gets dark out, a couple of lamps will come on for a few hours, making people think you’re home. This can deter burglars if they think someone might still be in the house. Or, if you have a smart home device, use that to turn your lights on from afar!

Here is a quick checklist for the last housemate to leave to go through to be as safe and secure as possible:

• That the fridge is empty of perishables.
• The bins are put out.
• All plugs turned off at the socket.
• The gas is turned off and heating adjusted.
• The water is shut off.
• Lights are set on a timer.
• All valuables are hidden away safely.
• All doors and windows are securely locked.

Stay safe this Christmas!